The Loss of Hope
by CSIGurlie07
Summary: What is left when hope is gone? Now an anthology of one-shots. Additional trigger warnings at the top of each installment. Most will feature a CHARACTER DEATH. Sporadic updates only.
1. Chapter 1

Jack glanced at Sam as Ra's First Prime continued to thunder their many dastardly deeds across their gathered audience. Last week she could barely move under her own power after having borne the brunt of the Jaffa's interrogations. Now she stood straight enough for Jack to almost believe she wasn't in pain. Then again, he considered, maybe she wasn't. Pain had a habit of evaporating at the prospect of one's imminent death. The guards had been short-sighted to think that targeting Sam would get them the answers they sought. They'd believed her to be the weak link. One look at her stony expression now could have saved them the trouble.

Jack wished their hands had been left unbound, so that they could reach out and touch, just one last time. He remembered the day the ranks between them vanished into the desert sands. He'd found Sam atop a dune, staring out over the Egyptian sands. Below them the Puddlejumper sat lifelessly, a useless husk. "It was a one-way trip," she whispered without turning her head. What had been her mantra for weeks now emerged as a revelation as she finally absorbed what that meant. "We can't go back."

They would remain in this ancient desert until the end of their days. It was an unfathomable life, as barren as the dunes they would now call home. "C'mere," he said with one word, lifting his arm so that she could turn and press herself into his chest. There were no tears that day, but she shook when he wrapped his arms around her. It was not the first time they'd embraced, but never before had he been allowed to welcome the physical contact. The prospect of a future filled with little more than sand and sun scraped away the flimsy excuses disguising the bond between them, and now Jack pulled her tight against him, sharing her anguish as much as he tried to soothe it.

By then her skin had already been warm with sunburn, and now on the executioner's block Sam's hair was even lighter, her skin darkened by the unrelenting sun. Even exhausted and dirty, she was as strong as she had been that day. She was the last image Jack saw before the staff weapon fired.

* * *

Daniel watched among the tightly pressed bodies as Jack's body crumpled, propelled slightly backwards from the impact of the staff blast against his chest. He'd ignored the villagers pleas to stay hidden, remain safe, and wrapped a burnoose around his face until just his eyes showed. He'd watched powerlessly as his friends were filed out onto the raised platform where all could see. Silently, he'd begged them to scan the crowd, to see him and know that he was there, but knew they would not. If their eyes caught on any one person, the Jaffa would know. Their eyes remained dead ahead, until Jack's slid towards Sam, an instant before the executioner fired.

" _Shal kek nem ron!_ " Teal'c called out in the following silence. "We die free!"

His shout was cut short by another staff blast. Daniel saw Sam flinch as her best friend dropped with a heavy thud. When she straightened, she glared at the Jaffa across from her, who now leveled his staff weapon to the ready. Her jaw tightened, an angry tear tracking through the grime crusted on her cheek. It wasn't supposed to end this way, not in any of the possible defeats they'd imagined back in their own time. But she was proud, and fierce. When the order came to fire, the Jaffa hesitated under her stare, just for a moment.

Daniel heard the final _whoomp_ of the staff blast, the short cry that ended as abruptly as it started. He dared not move, or call out, even when his friends', his family's bound corpses were dragged to the platform and dangled before the crowd as an example. They remained there, swinging gently in the desert wind until well into the evening.

Under the cover of darkness, Daniel took one final risk, disobeying the last order his friends had given him- to stay hidden, out of sight. He and his most daring supporters sneaked onto the execution grounds. To their luck they found the Jaffa had assumed the executions had filled their hearts with fear. No human slave would dare come close to the bodies of the damned, let alone abscond with them. It was a simple task to cut down the three unguarded bodies and carry them to a secret rest.

Jack would have been furious with him. Another four people were executed when the theft was discovered, only one of whom was involved with the reclamation of SG-1's remains. But Daniel felt no remorse, and no one was left to accuse him of selfishness. Daniel was alone when he lit the funeral pyres, and he was alone when he threaded three metal dog tags to join his on the chain around his neck.

But when he returned to his tent, a score of villagers were waiting with wide eyes, anticipating his next move. This time, Daniel had none. He would have no different ideas, no solid plans until three strangers showed up wearing his friend's faces. It hurt to see them again, and know that they were not the ones he lost. Still, they gave him exactly what SG-1 had given him in the first place, all those years ago. Hope.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This story will contain the mini-exercises I've done to get back into the SG-1 mindset as I make a return to the Stars universe. They will mostly be dark and deathy and sad, because I'm keeping the light fluffy material for Stars. Hope you guys don't mind.

 **Trigger warnings: Flogging, Attempted Rape, Assault, Character Death(s)**

* * *

Jack kicked himself again. And again and again and again. He should have withdrawn his team as soon as the bows and arrows had been pointed at Captain Carter. She'd had the right of it when she recommended they return through the gate while they could. But he had trusted the chief's promises of safety and gratitude, and while their host Moughal remained true to his word, his son Abu-the very boy they had saved from wild dogs-had no such compunction.

The path to the neighboring clan was a difficult one. Jack had hoped the Captain would have delayed Abu's progress through the thick trees, but they found no trace of either Sam or the boy. Before they knew it, dark was upon them. Jack tried to push on in the blackened forest, but when Daniel tripped over a pronounced tree root and went sprawling on the forest floor Jack was forced to call a halt.

They spent an uneasy night in the unfamiliar forest and stepped out again at first light. They reached the enemy encampment at full dawn. The air was cool and silent, as Jack scanned the various bodies asleep in the open. He eyed the area segregated by hanging cloth where he knew the women were likely kept, but Teal'c nudged him, gesturing across the clearing with a solemn nod. "O'Neill."

At the edge of the treeline, a figure slumped limply, bound front-first to a wide tree trunk. At first glance he couldn't tell who it might be. His confusion was banished the moment he spied blonde hair glinting in the light of the rising sun. He silently ordered them to stick to the cover of the trees. They picked their way along the shallow edge of the clearing, until they could quietly fall into a loose defensive formation around the unconscious Captain.

Jack bit his tongue when he saw the state of his officer. Her features were lax and pale, save for the livid bruise blossoming across a swollen cheek. The right side of her face was scraped raw from rough contact with the tree, and her back… He hadn't seen a flogging so severe since his time in Iraq. Blood crusted what remained of her clothes-which was not the blue dress they'd teased her about the day before. It had been replaced by plain robes not unlike the dull jerkins worn by the men still dozing only a dozen yards away. Jack's stomach turned; he doubted she'd changed of her own volition. Not that the blue dress would have protected her any better; that protection had been stripped from her long before Abu made her move, when Jack had allowed his team to be separated.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Daniel's skin turn dangerously pale. Only a sharp look from Jack kept the archaeologist's meager breakfast where it belonged. Jack inspected the wounds on her back, waving away the buzzing flies beginning to feast on her torn flesh. Thin lines scored deep into the soft skin of her back, dozens of lashes that carved into the muscle there.

"Captain," he said softly, touching her cheek. He didn't expect a response, not with damage like that. Her skin was hot to the touch, a fever already underway, but she was still breathing when Jack used his knife to cut the bonds pinning her to the tree. Her dead weight was too much for him and his bad knees. He nodded to Teal'c who carefully lifted the Captain into a fireman's carry.

The motion made her groan in pain, but she did not waken, nor did any of the rest of the tribe. When Sam was secure they retreated back through the woods towards Moughal's camp. The going was even slower than before, their progress made all the more cautious now that they had their missing teammate in hand. It took all of Jack's energy to keep his thoughts clear of the burgeoning guilt and focused on the forest around them. His were not the only thoughts turned dark. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel glowered with glazed eyes that told Jack that the younger man had grown introspective. After all, it had been at Daniel's recommendation that he'd approved the Captain's isolation and costume change.

That didn't matter, Jack reminded himself. No matter what Daniel had recommended, the buck stopped with him as commanding officer. The call had been tactically unsound and in no small part driven by the unprofessional appreciation of the Captain's appearance in that damned dress. The mistake that had led to the capture and torture of his officer was his and his alone. By the way Teal'c refused to meet his gaze, it was clear the Jaffa had come to the same conclusion.

Almost halfway back to the Stargate, Carter roused. Full consciousness remained elusive, but the pain was insistent. When she began to squirm feebly on Teal'c's shoulders, Jack called another halt. Moving as a team for the first time since SG-1's creation, all three of them helped keep Carter level as they lowered her to the forest floor. When she seemed relatively comfortable on her side, Jack rummaged through her pack, which they'd grabbed from her tent when they discovered her missing. She had a full field medkit, but he opted for the bare minimum, knowing that nothing would do a lick of good until they got her back to the SGC. He layered gauze pads over the deepest of the lacerations, and carefully wound a long bandage to secure it all in place.

By the time Jack was finished, Carter was unconscious. It was a blessing in disguise—had she been awake, Jack would have pushed on towards the Stargate. Now he ordered a rest for them all, when Daniel seemed to desperately need. The archaeologist was flushed and breathing heavily, but whether it was from exertion or from the tumultuous emotions playing obviously across his features, Jack couldn't know for sure. He didn't ask.

For an hour they waited in the growing light, and Jack remained within reach of Carter until her eyes flickered open. Her gaze, so sharp and hostile when they'd first met, now struggled to find him through a bleary haze.

"Col-colonel?" she rasped. She began to move, then froze when the pain hit. Carter moaned, but strangled it before it could escape as little more than a whimper.

"Take it easy, Captain," he instructed firmly. It came off as gruff, but it was better than showing her pity.

"Abu... tried to trade me," she reported dutifully. "For a girl he liked. I-I understand why he wanted to get her away from-" She groaned. "From her father."

"It is strange that he would punish a woman he considered so valuable," Moughal remarked cautiously. "It is not in his interests to damage his property so."

Sam coughed, wincing at the dryness in her throat. "My fault," she ground out, in between the sips of water Teal'c helped her take. "He tried—Colonel, he tried to..." She shook her head. "I fought him. Bit him." Her breath hitched painfully. "He got angry."

Jack gripped her wrist gently, reassuringly. "You did good, Captain." Blue eyes met his gaze, and though her expression didn't shift, in her eyes he saw the distrust, the accusations, the betrayal. He removed his hand.

"We're going home," he continued, his tone brooking no argument though none of them had a single one. It was time to get out of here. "You okay to travel, Captain?" He held up his hand when she began to get her arms under herself to push to her feet. "Stay put. Teal'c will carry you to the gate. We need to move quickly. Turghan won't take kindly to our visit this morning."

Her features fell before they hardened, but Jack would not let himself doubt his decision. They packed up and moved out. When they'd cleared the forest, Moughal split off. He would tell his clan of what had occurred, and he would return with his best warriors to accompany them to the Stargate, in case Turghan caught up with them before they could reach home. Just as the large stone ring came into view over the final berm, Turghan showed himself. Moughal and his men were nowhere to be seen. Teal'c gently lowered the Captain to the ground once more and readied his staff weapon.

"The woman is mine," Turghan stated clearly, his eyes hard and dark.

"I don't think so," Jack replied coldly, focused on the men circling them on their horses.

"I paid for her. I own her."

Jack's finger tightened on the trigger of his rifle-and hesitated. That moment of hesitation lost them the edge. Turghan yelled, a war cry that sent his men into action. One swipe of a rider's sword knocked the rifle out of Daniel's hands. He cried out in surprise, drawing Jack's attention for a dangerous moment. An arrow rewarded him for the break in focus, planting itself in the meat of his off shoulder. He yelled, and saw Carter struggling to her knees, fumbling for the pistol strapped to Teal'c's leg. Unaware of the Captain's efforts, the Jaffa pivoted to follow a passing rider in his sights, moving the weapon out of her reach.

The opening was all Turghan needed. He dismounted and strode into the midst of SG-1. Carter gave a short cry that was swiftly strangled by a broad callused hand as Turghan pulled her up by the throat. Jack fired a short, nonlethal burst to spook the horses. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sam spit in the chieftain's face. Any flash of pride Jack felt went cold when he saw the flash of Turghan's knife as it buried itself in her side, making the Captain spasm, then freeze.

Turghan removed the knife with a jerk and let her fall. Jack shot him once in the back, and like a switch had been flipped, Teal'c's shots suddenly began to hit their marks. Daniel covered his head as Jack and the Jaffa fired shot after shot until every rider was down and watering the grass with their blood. Carter did not rise again. Jack fell to his knees beside the Captain, his heart sinking when he saw the blue of her lips and the bubble and gasp of the blood leaking from her side.

"Hold on, Carter," he said, as Teal'c hoisted her in his arms. Jack fell into a flanking position, guarding his teammates from anyone else who would sneak up on them. "That's an order, Captain. We're almost home. You're gonna be okay."

Her blood dripped apathetically onto the ramp as they stumbled through the wormhole to Earth. A medical team was already waiting at the bottom of the ramp with a gurney. Another squad of scrubs and gloves converged on Jack and the arrow in his shoulder as soon as he relinquished his Captain to the stretcher. He could only watch numbly over their shoulders as Carter was wheeled off to surgery.

It fell to Jack to explain what had happened to a bewildered Hammond, to explain why Carter was out of uniform and what else they might need to know. She was still in surgery when he joined the rest of SG-1 outside the infirmary.

After hours of waiting, a petite doctor— the new CMO, Jack surmised— came to speak with them. Her features were pale, and drawn. Sharp, bright eyes met his, and her head gave a single solemn shake.

Rage exploded from days of constraint. Jack turned and slammed his fist into the wall with a yell. Daniel, poor Daniel, looked at him in shock and confusion until the doctor carefully explained in precise words that their teammate's body had already been in shock from the flogging. The additional trauma and blood loss from Turghan's knife wound had been too much. The Captain's heart stopped, and they were unable to get it going again. She didn't survive. Carter was dead.

There were internal reviews of the mission after Captain Carter's body was relinquished to her father for burial, and though each and every one of the examiners determined that the senseless death had been completely avoidable, no fault was found that required criminal charges. Jack wished there had been. Protocols changed to prevent similar circumstances from happening again, and all SG team leaders were reminded that every member of the command was valuable, regardless of their field, race, gender, or creed. Too little, too late.

It took months for the other scientists to catch themselves up with the work the Captain had left unfinished, and weeks more before they were able to work out how to continue the projects without her.

SG-1 remained a three-man team for a year, until the SGC was closed and its personnel reassigned. Later, back on Chulak, Teal'c received reports of Apophis' successful strike against the Tauri homeworld. Those known as SG-1 had been hunted down and executed, and the planet bombarded from space until it was an easy task to round up the survivors for transport to another world where they could better serve their master.

Teal'c had been wrong to place his faith in the Tauri. For all his hopes, they had been unready for the war against the false gods. They as a planet had been too short-sighted, too proud to expect their actions would have consequences. It now fell to him alone to fight the Goauld, or perish doing so.


End file.
